Shelf and mounting therefor



Oct. 28, 1941. s oc v 2,261,078

SHELF AND MOUNTING THEREFOR Filed Oct. 27, 1939 Ike/era 207 Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,261,078 SHELF AND MOUNTING summon Franklin 1'. Shockey, Oak Park, Ill. Application October 2'1, 1939, Serial No. 301,526

14 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to shelves and in particular to mounting means for shelves, and a combination of shelf and mounting means.

For home decoration or for utility purposes it is desirable to mount shelves without unsightly brackets, without special operations disfiguring a wall (especially when a shelf may be removed) and without special tools, or screws or nails. The present invention permits this.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shelf outfit of simple structure which can be easily mounted in a recess formed by one or more walls, without use of screws, nails or special tools..

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting device attachable to a shelf whereby the shelf may be used as a tool to mount the device.

Still another object is to provide a mounting device which sustains a shelf in such a position that the shelf also sustains the mounting device in shelf-sustaining position.

Various other and ancillary objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinbelow.

In general the invention provides mounting devices having a very thin, fiat and sharp pointed blade designed to enter a wall to provide a horizontal mounting in the wall. In practice the said blade is made so hard that it may be entered by force into wall material as hard as the hardest of plasters, cement, and even of brick. So entered, it creates a horizontal fiat cut into the wall for retaining the said blade as a shelf support, when the latter is prevented from horizontal withdrawal from the wall.

In addition the said blade is carried by a shelf-supporting body of design so related to the shelf, that the ultimate position of the shelf holds the said blade in its shelf-sustaining position in the wall.

A further feature of the preferred form of mounting device is the construction of the body of the device as related to the shelf, so that the shelf itself may be the instrument for forcing the blade into the wall, or for marking the wall, as will appear hereinafter. Numerous embodiments of the invention for the results described are permitted within the broad scope of the invention, as will appear below from the description of the preferred and modified forms shown in the accompanying drawing to illustrate and explain the nature of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a corner shelf in mounted position and also in its preliminary pre-mounted position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a mounting device shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is the mounting device of Fig. 2 taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a side view of the-deviceof- Flga '3 as removed from the shelf.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the device of Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is a modified form of the device of Fig. 5 ina modified relation to a shelf.

Fig. 7 is a second modified form of the device of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 shows another modified device in another relation to a shelf.

Fig, 9 is a plan view of the device of, Fig. 8 in part shown in fragmentary section. I

Fig. 10 is a modified form of the device set into a hole in the edge of a shelf. t Fig. 11 is a modified form of simple construc- Fig. 12 is another modification showing a twopiece structure. fl

In explaining the invention, advantages of it will become apparent by describing Fig. l. The numerals l0 and II represent walls which form a corner, whether of wallboard, plaster, cement, brick or other substance penetratable to the mounting device particularly employed. Plaster is the most commonly encountered wall, and

even the hard-finish plasters offer no obstacle-- to the present invention. Therefore, in further reference, the walls l0 and H may be considered to be specifically plaster with or without a paper or paint-like covering. A triangular shelf [2 is shownin full line as mounted, and in dotted line l3 as positioned for mounting. The shelf may be made of any suitable material, such as glass, fiber board, wood plywood, plastic-or the like. Its corner I4 is preferably cut away to escape any imperfections in the corner, thus permitting a close fit of the right angular shelf edges I5 and I6.

Shelf I! may be suspended by three points or devices distributed over edges I5 and IE, but for symmetry, two devices ll are used on each edge, and are mounted on the shelf as shown in Fig. 3, for example.

Specifically, the device H has a U-shaped body with flat leg l8, base l9, and a fiat leg 20 substantially parallel to leg it, but bowed slightly. The structure is preferably made by bending metal ribbon which is or may be made resilient to give the bowed structure springiness to clip shelf-edges of various thicknesses. Plywood, for example, varies in thickness for a single commercial specification. The base of the U- form is cut by striking from it a pointed piece forming blade 2i. This blade is so positioned that it may be bent to serve as a continuation of the fiat leg ii! of the device. The blade 2| is pointed and sharpened forming two biased sharp edges 22 and 23 and sharp point 24. A powerful swedging operation suffices to sharpen the pointed blade. The material for the blade must be hard to a degree suitable for the wall to be penetrated. A softer metal suitable for wallboard may be chosen, which may not be suitable for plaster. However, for universal use, a hard tool steel is preferred, so that the blade will penetrate cement or brick without breaking or bending. By choice of the ribbon stock and of tempering conditions, the device i1 may have hardness and toughness at the blade edge and also resiliency for the body.

In Fig. l, shelf i2 is provided with four such clips i1, and the combination is positioned as in dotted line I3. Thus the points Just contact the walls. Pushing on the shelf toward the corner, causes the blades to cut and enter the wall by forming knife-edge horizontal slits. The sharp bias edges 22 or 23 aid in cutting the slits. When positioned, the devices hold tightly, and the shelf prevents the withdrawal of the blades of one set by the friction grip upon it from the other set. A shelf as shown in Fig. 1 which; is about 11 inches on the mounted edges with blades about 1 1; inch long and A; inch wide at the base, will sustain as much as 60 pounds weight in plaster.

Where the wall is very hard, as for exainple cement or brick, the device may be first positioned on line I3 and pushed slightly to mark the points of entry. Then the unit may be removed, and each clip separately mounted by very slight tapping on the end of flat leg IS. The blade serves as a sort of drill in this action to cut its own slit in the wall. Then the shelf is slipped into the clip-portions which are thus mounted in the wall.

Shelves so mounted may be removed without noticeably marking the wall. The slits left are hardly visible. Where a papered plaster wall is used, the frayed ends of the cut paper practically hide the slits. Um'ts consisting of a shelf and its clip may be packaged for sale and mounted in the ordinary home-byjany housewife or child without the use of screws,- nails or tools. The units may be shifted from 'place to place without damage to the units or material damage to the wall.

Variations of the structure are permissible without loss of all thesemain advantages, and with some additional advantages.

Fig. 6 represents a combination wherein the shelf is thicker than the body of the clip, and wherein the clip may be used on the underside of the shelf to avoid its appearance on the shelf top. Clip 25 has a blade 21 and a body portion which need not be resilient to take different thicknesses of shelf. By cutting shelf 29 a slot 30 may be formed to receive leg 3| of the clip. However, it is to be understood that leg 3i and the slot may be omitted from the combination as it is positioned in Fig. 6, because it is only necessary for the body to provide vertical support for the shelf by the leg 32, and for the shelf to provide lateral support to the mounting device by pressure on the web 33 from which the blade 21 is struck. However, it is preferred to have leg 3i in the slot 30, (or as in Fig. 3 on. the top of the shelf) to suspend the clips to the shelf in using the shelf as a tool in simultaneously mounting or positioning all of the devices in the walls.

Fig. '7 shows a modified form of device in which a metal strip or ribbon is bent to provide a U- form 35, one leg 36 of which is continued and reversely bent at 31 to provide sharp-pointed blade 38, projecting oppositely to the direction of the legs of the U-form. This form is more suitable for softer walls than for hard walls because of the weakening of the metal at 31.

Fig. 8 represents a shelf 40 provided with a recess on its underside in which fits a blocklike body I having an effective vertical area 42 for pushing the blade into the wall. It contacts a like effective vertical area of the shelf within the recess, whereby the shelf may force the device and also hold it in entered position. A blade 43 is shown as an insert of metal mounted in the block. The block also is preferably of metal or other material which will not split under the force from the blade in entering a wall.

Fig. 10 shows a modification wherein a shelf such as shelf i2 has on its wall-edges a slot or groove to the bottom of which is inserted a body portion 46 extended to provide sharp pointed flat blade 41. The body portion has a contacting edge at the bottom of the slot of sufllcient area so that pressing the blade into a wall by use of the shelf, does not split the material of the shelf. Preferably, the slot is elongated to a groove so that the positions of the mounting devices may be selected. The device preferably fits the groove frictionally, and the body portion may be slightly curved to effect this fit. The

friction serves to hold the shelf in mounted position. Where the slot and the body portion 46 are not relatively slidable, a non-friction fit will effectively hold the shelf, and the shelf will effectively hold the mounting devices.

The structures of Figs. 8 and 10, for example, permit dispensing with the thickness of the de-- vice which in Fig. 1 lies between the shelf edge and the wall permitting closer contact of shelf and wall. However, such space designated 50 in Fig. 1 is desirable in avoiding dust gathering in the crack at the wall to leave a dust mark upon removal of the shelf.

The structures wherein the blade is above a perpendicular surface of the body or of the shelf extending downwardly from the blade are preferred for strength. This surface acts as an obstruction to prevent falling away of plaster or the like by reason of any crumbling from excessive pressure from the blade in the wall. Thus in Fig. 11, the device made in Z-shape from a ribbon, has blade 5|, base 52 for use as a head to enter the blade and for use to support plaster or the like pressed by the blade, when the shelf rests on the remaining part 53, or when the part 53 is in a slot such as slot 30 in Fig. 6 below the level of blade 5|, or in a groove as in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is another device illustrating a different structure capable of a different use. There is a flat blade 55 which is like an arrow head presenting rear portions 56 and a stem-like body portion 51 made as an extension of the blade from flat stock. The stem 51 may be entered into a slot in a shelf, or underlie a shelf, in either case in such position that the stem does not force the blade into the wall. A slotted collar 58 fits over the stem to lie against the portions 56 for forcing the blade into a wall, and for holding it in position by contact with the edge of the shelf.

In some uses of the device, as where a straight rather than a bias entry is made into a wall, the point need not be that of a blade, but may be of other form, as of a nail point, so long as the material entered as well as the point, will support the shelf in its ordinary usage.

It is obvious from the various operations and structures described, that the invention is not limited to corner shelves, but is useful in other places, such as nooks, niches, closets, and recesses, where the mounted shelf will hold all or enough of the devices in entered position in the wall to prevent accidental falling away of the devices.

These and other variations are contemplated as falling within the scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a shelf, and one or more mounting devices, said device having a sharp pointed horizontally disposed flat blade adapted to enter a wall horizontally by application of force, and having a body portion having one surfave extending horizontally in contact with the shelf to sustain the shelf vertically and another surface extending vertically in contact with the shelf to hold the said blade when entered in a wall against removal from the wall when said body portion sustains the shelf in ultimate position.

2. In combination,'a shelf, and one or more mounting devices, said device having a sharp pointed horizontally disposed flat blade adapted to enter a wall horizontally by application of force, and having a body portion with a U-shape adapted to encompass at least a portion of the edge of a shelf, whereby the shelf may be used edgewise to force said blade into a wall.

3. In combination, a shelf, and one or more mounting devices, said device having a sharp pointed horizontally disposed flat blade adapted to enter a wall horizontally by application of force, and having a body portion with a U-shape adapted to encompass an edge of the shelf.

4. In combination, a shelf, and one or more mounting devices, said device having a sharp pointed flat blade adapted to enter a wall horizontally by application of force, and having a body portion with a U-shape adapted to encompass an edge of the shelf, said U-form being of springy character to grip the shelf tightly.

5. A shelf having two right angular edges adapting the shelf for mounting in a right angle comer of vertical walls, and at least three mounting devices being distributed between said two edges and adapted to be carried by the shelf, each of said devices presenting an area in contact with a vertical area of the shelf, and a sharp flat pointed blade on said mounting device to enter a wall horizontally, the contact of said device with said shelf permitting forcing the shelf to cause a blade to penetrate a wall, and permitting said shelf to hold the blade in the wall.

6. A shelf having two right angular edges adapting the shelf for mounting in a right angle corner of vertical walls, and at least three mounting devices being distributed between said two edges, each of said devices having a U-shaped body to encompass an edge of the shelf, and having a sharp pointed flat blade in position to enter a wall in parallelism with the shelf.

'7. In combination a shelf and a mounting device therefor removably related to the shelf, said device having a sharp pointed fiat blade to extend parallel with the supporting face of the shelf and a body portion fitting in sustainingposition toward the shelf with a portion of the body in contact with a portion of the shelf whereby the shelf in being sustained by said body prevents movement of said blade out of a mounted insertion in a wall.

8. A mounting device for a shelf comprising a U-shaped body adapted to encompass the edge of a shelf and a sharp pointed flat blade carried by said body to project away from the shelf parallel to the shelf.

9. A mounting device for a shelf comprising a U-shaped body adapted to encompass the edge of a shelf, said body having two substantially flat parallel leg portions, and a sharp pointed flat blade carried by said body substantially continuous with one of said leg portions and directed oppositely to said leg.

10. A mounting device for a shelf comprising a U-shaped body adapted to encompass the edge of a shelf, said body having a flat leg portion and a substantially parallel flat leg portion which is slightly bowed and resilient with respect to the other leg portion whereby to form a variable opening for tightly clamping the edges of shelves of various thickness, and a sharp pointed flat blade carried by said body to project away from and parallel to a shelf encompassed by said body.

11. A U-shaped clamp of flat ribbon-like material adapted to encompass the edge of a shelf, and a sharp pointed fiat blade struck from the material providing the base of the U-form, said blade projecting in a direction opposite to the legs of the U-form.

12. A U-shaped clamp of flat ribbon-like material adapted to encompass the edge of a shelf, and a sharp pointed flat blade struck from the material providing the base of the U-form, said blade being bent to lie parallel with the legs of the U-form and in the opposite direction as a continuation of one of the flat legs of the U-form.

13. In combination, a shelf, and one or more mounting devices, said device having a sharp pointed flat blade member lying in a horizontal plane adapted to enter a wall horizontally by application of force, and having a body portion related to the shelf to sustain the shelf vertically and to prevent the said member when entered in a wall from removal from the wall when said body portion sustains the shelf in ultimate position.

14. A mounting device for a shelf comprising a U-shaped body adapted to encompass the edge of a shelf, said body having two substantially flat parallel leg portions extending in one direction, and a sharp pointed flat blade carried by said body and parallel with said leg portions extending in the opposite direction.

FRANKLIN P. SHOCKEY. 

